Orelindeth's story in the tale of The Hobbit
by Ravynne Firestorm
Summary: The story follows that of The Hobbit, with a new character in the company but from the dwarves and o/c perspective. The story changes more away from the book towards the end. Spoilers from the book throughout. Also I need a name for my character, currently she has one of my alt names because I couldn't think of one, suggestions welcome. Oh and I'm no artist, so is the picture okay?
1. Chapter 1

Following on from the events of The Hobbit, as the company left the Shire after recruiting Bilbo.

Chapter 1 – On leaving the shire

Now forgotten by many, the young woman still hid from the world. She was safe in her house, deep in the old woods, far from the dwellings of any. Yet that did not seem enough to stop some, a traveller wrapped in a grey cloak and hood came walking through the wood, leading a laden horse. He passed but five metres from the tree in which she hid – for the sound of footfalls had reached her long before he - on a platform well camouflaged in the tree's branches, and stayed on a path that seemed bound to direct this traveller straight to the clearing in which her house stood. As she watched, a line of thirteen others followed behind the traveller, leading ponies, they were of short stature and their race was known to her, dwarves. Though there was one with them, whilst of similar height, was not a dwarf, she perceived, but one of the Little-people, a halfling. She moved now, light and silent - as was the gift of her kind - through the branches until she came above the dwarves. As the last passed her, she reached down, hanging by her knees, and pulled the dwarf up into the tree. Keeping a firm hand over his mouth and holding her dagger to his throat, she held him still until all their company had passed out of view. "I will not hurt you Dwarf, if you do not cry out. Hold fast to me and I will take us safe to the platform, unless you wish to fall from this height." she stated, standing up on the branch with ease and perfect balance. He followed her carefully, holding tight to her and said not a word; she was most fair, an elf, long hair waved down her back, golden and red as the dying sun. As they reached the platform, she turned, and now finally surveyed the dwarf whom she had caught, he was young, with long, braided, blonde hair, bright blue eyes and a mischievous smile that caught her off guard. "What are you and your company doing in this wood? Speak now or you shall not live to see them again." Still he smiled at her, "Most gracious Lady of the forest, I am Fili, at yours and your family's service." With this he bowed before her, "We are here looking for another to join our company, on a most important venture. One of our company said there would be one who lived in this wood that would be of much use and helpful to have with us on this journey." His smile eased a little at the look of anger in her glittering green eyes, marring her delicate features. "Gandalf! I have told him a hundred times for a hundred years that I will not leave this forest and he is not to visit, this place is to be secret. Curse his meddling ways." It was then that the party had finally noticed their missing number, for they heard several calling the young Dwarf's name. "It seems I have no choice but to welcome you here, for Gandalf is too set in his ways, but I shall not join this quest of yours and this place is to remain secret, speak of it to no other when you leave here. Come." Grasping his hand, she led him across the trees, a most unusual path for a dwarf, who preferred their feet firmly on the ground.

They arrived at a small wooden house, built in and around the branches of a large oak on the edge of a clearing, after climbing up the young woman let down a ladder for the dwarf. It was a modest home, but beautiful as are all the homes of elves. She led him to a small pantry and stacked plates and food into his arms, bearing as much herself, and then to a room with a small long table and a few chairs. "A strange way to treat a guest, or am I a captive, held against my will? But then I did offer my service." Fili thought to himself, but spoke not a word as he helped her lay the table and bring more chairs and low stools, until a fair feast was set for fifteen on the laden table. Then she bade him sit and built a fire in the grate. The warmth of the fire and comfort of the low chair was welcome after days of riding and camping on the floor, and it was not long before Fili fell into sleep. It was to the sound of laughter he awoke and saw all the company stood in the small lounge, "Well my lad, captured by a Lady and put to good work in the kitchen," said Balin, clapping him on the shoulder, "It seems you had an easier journey than us, Mithrandir led us in many circles before we found this place, and then only by the ladder left down. How I should have liked to have been taken and slept by a warm fire before a hearty meal." Fili realised that night had come upon them and he had slept the afternoon away whilst his companions were lost in the forest. As he stood Kili embraced him tight, "Do not get captured without me ever again brother, we feared for you, but Mithrandir said you would be well. _And_ I had to lead your pony as well as mine!" They came into the dining room and were waited on graciously by their host with wine and beer and a welcome feast at the table. When they had all finished eating, Gandalf stood "We thank you for your hospitality my Lady Orelindeth, now might I get down to business, we have come to..." "I know why you have come and the answer is no, as it has always been. You are lucky to have my hospitality, were it not for this young dwarf," she gestured to Fili, whom she had sat on her right side, "I may have left you to search endlessly in these woods, but his smile stayed my heart. You have put my life at risk here now, should others come." "I meant no harm by bringing this company here, but you have sat still far too long, the world has changed, the old enemies are gone. At least think on the idea I ask of you." Gandalf sat and offered no more, as though none of this information perplexed the dwarves, to whom he had only said that there was one more they should add to their company, whilst they were an elf and a she-elf at that, she was not like other elves and would be most helpful to their task – dwarves are not as fond of elves as they used to be – and they accepted this as their need of help was enough. No more was said on the matter that night, their host provided pallets on the floor in the lounge for them, then bid them goodnight. "Will she come?" Thorin asked of Gandalf as they settled down to rest. "Perhaps, but she needs this as much or more as we need her for this task. Long has she been in hiding, and a while dwelt here unknown near the shadow of the Ettenmoors, for a prophecy of doom was laid on her and ever she seeks to hide from it. I will say no more, for it is not my tale to tell, but goodnight."

The light of morning crept through the windows, dappled by the leaves of the great tree in whose branches the house was built, slowly they stirred, for they had rested well and did not wish yet to leave this place. But Thorin hurried them and eventually all were up and ready, though there was no sign of their host, breakfast had been laid on the table. They ate in silence, then left the house, still without seeing Orelindeth. Their ponies and Gandalf's horse had been made ready for them and extra supplies had been added to their packs, but there was another horse also well laden amongst the others. "So you will join us then?" Thorin said loudly, for they could still see no sign of their host. "If I do not, Gandalf will never let me be in peace." came an almost reluctant voice from up in the trees. Orelindeth leapt down as if ready for battle, for she had with her an elven sword and her dagger at her belt.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Going South

The company followed a steady path south, through the pouring rain, until they reached the Last Bridge – the only crossing of the Hoarwell river before it flowed into the Greyflood, then out to the sea – and crossed over to the east. It was nearly night when they had crossed over, the wind broke up the grey clouds and a wandering moon appeared above the hills between the flying rags. They stopped, for food was on many of their minds, and the thought of finding a dry patch to sleep on. Not until then did they notice that Gandalf was missing. So far he had come all the way with them, never saying if he was in the adventure or merely keeping them company for a while. "Just when a wizard would have been most useful, too." groaned Dori and Nori, thinking of lighting a fire to cook in the wet. They decided in the end that they would have to camp where they were, they moved to a clump of trees, and though it was drier under them, the wind shook the rain off the leaves and the drip, drip, was most annoying. Also the mischief seemed to have got into the fire. Dwarves can make a fire almost anywhere out of almost anything, wind or no wind, but they could not do it that night, nor could Orelindeth coax any life into it with her words, not even Oin and Gloin, who were especially good at it. Then one of the ponies took fright at nothing and bolted. He got into the river before they could catch him, and before they could get him out again, Fili and Kili were nearly drowned and all the baggage that he carried was washed away off him. Of course it was mostly food, and there was little left for supper and less for breakfast, glad though they were the Lady had refilled their packs so they had some food left, they all sat glum and wet. Then Balin, who was always their look-out man, said "There's a light over there!" There was a hill some way off with trees on it, they could see a light shining, a reddish comfortable-looking light, as it might be a fire or torches twinkling. They fell to arguing for some time, but the cold and the wet got the better of them, and they asked each other, "Where has Gandalf got to?"

The rain began to pour down worse than ever and all were soaked to the bone, they led their ponies and Orelindeth her horse as quiet and cautious towards the direction of the light. Suddenly the red light shone out very bright through the tree-trunks not far ahead. "You must go on and find out all about that light and what it is for and if all is safe and canny," said Thorin to the hobbit, "Now scuttle off, and come back quick if all is well. If not, come back if you can! If you can't, hoot twice like a barn-owl and once like a screech-owl, and we will do what we can." The rest of the company stood huddled together, for the sake of warmth as some were shivering so wet through, as Bilbo headed towards the light. They heard noises and waited long for some sign of the hobbit but none came, so slowly they crept forwards one by one, until Balin found himself in a clearing with three trolls! He was soon bundled into a sack, before he could make head nor tail of the situation. The trolls, realised this creature they had caught trying to steal one of their purses was not alone, and so waited in the dark for more. And as each dwarf came into the clearing, a sack was popped over his head and he was down, so too Orelindeth, for she was weary and cold and did not see the trolls as she should have. Soon Dwalin, Balin, Fili, Kili, Orelindeth, Dori, Nori and Ori were piled together, and Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur and Bombur piled uncomfortably near the fire. Thorin came last, expecting trouble; he stood in the shadows and said "What's all this trouble? Who has been knocking my people about?" "It's trolls!" said Bilbo, "They're hiding in the bushes with sacks." Thorin jumped forward to the fire before they could leap on him, he caught up a big branch all on fire at one end and Bert got that end in his eye before he could step aside, but Tom kicked sparks up in Thorin's face and as Thorin thrust the branch into Tom's face, William came up behind him and popped a sack over Thorin's head, down to his toes. And so the fight ended, a nice pickle they were all in now, tied up in sacks, with three angry trolls arguing over how best to eat them.

"Kili move your legs," whispered Orelindeth, as she had still her dagger at her belt – always she kept her weapons ready, even when riding, for it is no great burden for an elf- "I may be able to free us, what then I do not know though." It was just then that Gandalf came back, but none saw him. Gandalf led an argument, voicing each of the trolls, leading the trolls to believe each other had said it. This went on for a long while until, "Dawn take you all, and be stone to you!" said a voice that sounded like William's. But it wasn't, for just at that moment the light came over the hill and the trolls turned to stone, and there they stand to this day – for trolls, as you probably know, must be underground before dawn or they go back to the stuff of the mountains they are made of and never move again. "Excellent!" said Gandalf. Once all were untied and Bilbo retrieved, they went in search of the trolls' cave. They followed stony boot prints up the hill until they came across it, there was a nasty smell and bones on the floor, but a good deal of food on shelves and a litter of plunder. After a sleep, for their night had been disturbed, and food from the trolls' cave, they continued their journey east. They did not sing or tell stories that day, even thought the weather improved, nor the next day, nor the day after. They had begun to feel that danger was not far away on either side. Yet the path led uneventfully to Rivendell, where Gandalf had intended and where he had sent ahead to say they were coming, the night he disappeared. And so at last they all came to the Last Homely House, and found its doors flung wide. They stayed there for fourteen days and found it hard to leave. Orelindeth spent much of her time with the two youngest dwarves, she was not glad to back among her kin, so she sought solitude from them bringing Fili and Kili with her. She was indeed quite taken with them, and always she sat with Fili at her right side, at the table when they feasted. They rode away with their hearts ready for more adventure and a knowledge of the road they must follow over the Misty Mountains to the land beyond.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – The Misty Mountains

All was well, until one day they met a thunderstorm, more than a thunderstorm, a thunder-battle. They were high up in a narrow place, with a dreadful fall into a dim valley at one side of them. There they were sheltering under a hanging rock for the night, Orelindeth almost longed to be back warm and safe in her woods, but for the two dwarves huddled on either side of her, Fili and Kili, they were her comfort. Then came a wind and a rain, and the wind whipped the rain and hail about in every direction, so that an overhanging rock was no protection at all. "This won't do at all!" said Thorin. "If we don't get blown off, or drowned, or struck by lightning, we shall be picked up by some giant and kicked sky-high for a football." "Well, if you know of anywhere better, take us there!" said Gandalf, who was feeling very grumpy, and was far from happy about the giants himself. The end of their argument was that they sent Fili and Kili to look for a better shelter. They had very sharp eyes, and being the youngest of the dwarves by some fifty years they usually got these sort of jobs. Orelindeth went with them, for being an elf she could see best of all of them, and greatly wished to be out of the storm quickly. Soon the three of them came almost crawling back, clinging to the rock. Though unsure of the cave they had found, the company felt it better than waiting outside for something to befall them. They explored the cave from end to end; it had a dry floor and some comfortable nooks. The ponies and horses stood at one end steaming and champing in their nose bags, as the company settled down talking and slowly dropped off to sleep one by one. And that was the last time that they used the ponies, packages, baggages, tools and paraphernalia that they had brought with them.

They were wakened to a loud shout, and grabbed by goblins, six to each at least, and even two for the hobbit, who had yelled out as he saw a large crack appearing at the back of the cave and their ponies disappearing into it. Of Gandalf they saw nothing but several dead goblins on the floor, and with that the crack closed behind them and they were hurried along deep into the mountain. The goblins chained their hands behind their backs and linked them all together, the few weapons some had on them were taken and they were brought before a tremendous goblin with a huge head and armed goblins standing round him. Orelindeth ached for her lost sword and dagger, and while she still kept the knife hidden in her boot, she could do nothing with her hands chained behind her. "Who are these miserable persons?" said the Great Goblin. "Dwarves, and this!" said one of the drivers, pulling at Bilbo's chain so that he fell forward onto his knees – he counted Orelindeth as a dwarf, for though an elf, she was short for her kind, with her hood drawn low and stooping slightly, she passed well for a tall dwarf considering her company in the gloom of the cavern. "We found them sheltering in our Front Porch." "What do you mean by it?" said the Great Goblin turning to Thorin. "Up to no good, I'll warrant! Spying on the private business of my people, thieves I shouldn't be surprised to learn, murderers, friends of elves! Come! What have you got to say?" So followed an awkward conversation between Thorin and the Great Goblin, until one of the goblins brought forth the sword that Thorin had taken from the trolls' cave. It was named Orcrist as Elrond had told him in Rivendell, 'goblin cleaver' and at the sight of it the Great Goblin was overcome with rage. He rushed at Thorin crying "Murderers and elf-friends, slash them, beat them, bite them, gnash them!" Just at that moment, all the lights went out in the cavern; a sword flashed in its own light and went right through the Great Goblin as he stood dumbfounded in the middle of his rage. He fell dead and the goblins fled before the sword, shrieking into the darkness. "Follow me quick!" said a voice fierce and quiet. They ran on down dark tunnels being led through the dark. Of course it was Gandalf, but just then they were too busy to ask how he got there. He let them free then Gandalf lit up his wand and guided them onwards not without incident. After a while they reached a great stone door and behind it into a valley of trees they ran. After a small while they stopped, for the goblins would not follow them out into the sun, shining bright in the cloudless sky, it was then they realised their number had dropped to thirteen. Bilbo had been left behind in the goblin caves! There followed an argument as to whether they should go back for him, and whose fault it was, but before ought was decided, there Bilbo appeared in front of them to their surprise and delight. They were eager for him to recount his tale of escape as they settled down to rest, as far from the mountain as they could walk. Then Gandalf explained his part, he knew of the paths and the door they left by, "They guard it always and no one has ever managed to block it up. They will guard doubly after this." He laughed. All the others laughed too. After all they had lost a good deal, but they had killed the Great Goblin and a great many others besides, and they had all escaped, so they might be said to have had the best of it so far. But Gandalf urged them on, to get as far from the mountain as they could before dark, for the goblins would not soon forget the insult they had done them.

After what seemed ages, they came suddenly to an opening where no trees grew, and somehow it struck all of them as not at all a nice place, although there was nothing wrong to see. All of a sudden they heard a howl away down hill; it was answered by another away to the right and a good deal nearer to them, then by another not far away to the left. It was wolves howling at the moon, wolves gathering together! "Up the trees quick!" cried Gandalf, and they ran to the trees at the edge of the glade, Orelindeth, being an elf, climbed with ease, the others sought those with low branches, climbing as high as ever they could trust the branches. Gandalf, who was a good deal taller than the others, had climbed into a tree they could not and was quite hidden in its boughs. Just as Dori had managed to get Bilbo up into a tree – Bilbo being much shorter and certainly not used to climbing trees could not get up on his own – the wolves trotted howling into the clearing. Dori jumped up just in time as a wolf snapped at his cloak and nearly got him, in a minute there was a whole pack of them yelping all around the tree and leaping up at the trunk. But even the wild Wargs cannot climb trees, so for a time they were safe. This glade in the ring of trees was evidently a meeting-place of the wolves, more and more kept coming in. Now you can understand why Gandalf, listening to their growling and yelping, began to be dreadfully afraid, wizard though he was, and to feel that they were in a very bad place, and had not yet escaped at all. All the same he was not going to let them have it all their own way, he gathered huge pine-cones from the branches of the tree, then he set one alight with bright blue fire, and threw it whizzing down among the circle of wolves. It struck one on the back, and immediately his shaggy coat caught fire, then another came and another, one in blue flames, one in red, another in green. The company shouted and cheered, the rage of the wolves was terrible to see and the commotion they made filled all the forest. Very soon all about the glade wolves were rolling over and over to put out the sparks on their backs, while those that were burning were running about howling and setting others alight.

As night fell the goblins came down from the mountain, seeking the company and came to their meeting place with the Wargs. Some of them sat down and laughed at the wolves running around, but goblins are not afraid of fire and soon had a plan which seemed to them most amusing. They stacked fern and brushwood against the trees the company were in and beat and stamped, until nearly all the flames were put out, but those nearest to the trees of the company. Soon they had a ring of smoke and fire all round the dwarves, Orelindeth, Gandalf and Bilbo. The flames were starting to spread to the trees, yet just then the Lord of the Eagles swept down from above, seized Gandalf in his talons and was gone. Over them swooped the eagles and attacked the goblins and wolves, other birds flew to the tree-tops and seized the others from the trees, up they went, flying back to their eyrie. A messenger came bidding them to bring the company to the Lord of the Eagles on the Great Shelf and off they went again, only a short way they flew this time. The wizard and the eagle-lord appeared to know one another slightly, and even to be on friendly terms. Gandalf was discussing plans with the Great Eagle for carrying the company far away setting them down well on their journey across the plains below. They settled there for the night and the eagles brought them wood for fire and rabbits, hares and a small sheep to cook. They slept well, curled up on the hard rock, content to be out of danger again.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Flying East

The eagles brought them a fair way, though not as far as Gandalf would have liked, and they came to land on a great rock, a hill of stone, like a last outpost of the distant mountains. The eagles swooped one by one and set down their passengers, and so they parted. "I always meant to see you all safe (if possible) over the mountains," said the wizard, "and now by good management _and _good luck I have done it. Indeed we are now a good deal further east than I ever meant to come with you, for after all this is not my adventure. I may look in on it again before it is all over, but in the meanwhile I have some other pressing business to attend to." The dwarves groaned, Orelindeth sat stony faced and Bilbo wept. They had begun to think Gandalf was going to come all the way and would always be there to help them out of difficulties. "I am not going to disappear this very instant," said he, "I can give you a day or two more. We have no food, no baggage, and no ponies to ride, _and_ you don't know where you are. There is _somebody _that I know of, who lives not far away, that may help us."

As they walked through the morning and afternoon Gandalf told them of the 'somebody', his name was Beorn. He was a skin-changer, sometimes a huge black bear, sometimes a great strong black-haired man with huge arms and a great beard. Some said he was a bear descended from the great and ancient bears of the mountains that lived there before the giants came, others say that he is a man descended from the first men who lived, but Beorn was not the sort of person to ask questions of. "You must all be very polite when I introduce you, I shall introduce you slowly, two by two, I think. And you must be careful not to annoy him; he is appalling when he is angry, though he is kind enough if humoured." They came to a belt of tall and very ancient oaks, and beyond these to a high thorn-hedge, through which you could neither see, nor scramble. Gandalf told them to wait there, and went on taking Bilbo with him. Orelindeth and the dwarves sat and waited for Gandalf to call them. They heard a long shrill whistle, and started two by two to make their way, leaving five minutes between each pair as Gandalf had said. And so it was that Thorin and Dori, Nori and Ori, Balin and Dwalin, Orelindeth and Fili, Oin and Gloin, Bifur and Bofur, and Kili and Bombur came each to be introduced as Gandalf told their tale to Beorn. They stayed there many days, for the next stage of their journey now took them through Mirkwood and they did not look forward to the journey through the perilous forest. Beorn took care of them handsomely and provided them with food for the journey and lent them his ponies to ride as far as the gate of Mirkwood. He gave them advice and warning on the forest, but most importantly, not to stray from the road.

They rode for several days, and as light dawned on the fourth day they could see the forest coming as it were to meet them, or waiting for them like a black and frowning wall. By the afternoon they had reached the eaves of Mirkwood, and were resting almost beneath the great overhanging boughs of its outer trees. Their trunks were huge and gnarled, their branches twisted, their leaves were dark and long. "Well, here is Mirkwood!" said Gandalf and it was here that they sent back the ponies to Beorn and Gandalf left them. "Cheer up Thorin and Company, remember you are over the Edge of the Wild now and in for all sorts of fun wherever you go." said Gandalf. "Very comforting you are to be sure," growled Thorin, "Good-bye! If you won't come with us, you had better get off without any more talk!" "Good-bye then, and really good-bye!" said Gandalf as he turned his horse and rode into the west. But he could not resist the temptation to have the last word, before he had passed quite out of hearing; he turned and shouted "Good-bye! Be good, take care of yourselves - and DON'T LEAVE THE PATH!" Now began the most dangerous part of the journey, they each shouldered the heavy pack which was their share, and turned from the light that lay on the lands outside and plunged into the forest.

They walked in single file. The entrance to the path was like a sort of arch leading into a gloomy tunnel made by two great trees that leant together, too old and strangled with ivy and hung with lichen to bear more than a few blackened leaves. The path itself was narrow and wound in and out among the trunks. Soon the light at the gate was like a little bright hole far behind and the quiet was so deep that their feet seemed to thump along while all the trees leaned over them and listened. It was not long before they grew to hate the forest as heartily as they had hated the tunnels of the goblins, and it seemed to offer even less hope of any ending, even Orelindeth who was at home in the trees, but not these trees, evil they seemed or evil lurked hidden behind them in the forest. But they had to go on and on, long after they were sick for a sight of the sun and the sky, and longed for the feel of the wind on their faces. Even the dwarves felt it, who were used to tunnelling and lived at times for long whiles without the light of the sun. As days followed days, and still the forest seemed just the same, they began to get anxious. The food would not last forever; it was in fact already beginning to get low. They were thirsty too, for they had none too much water, this was their state when one day they found their path blocked by running water. It flowed fast and strong, but not very wide and it was black, it was in fact the same river Beorn had warned them of, for it caused forgetfulness and sleep. Across the gloom Orelindeth noticed a small boat on the other side, "There is a boat against the far bank!" "How far away do you think it is?" asked Thorin, for he knew now that her elf-eyes could see furthest among them. "Not at all far, I shouldn't say more than twelve yards." "Twelve yards! I should have thought it was thirty at least, but my eyes don't see as well as they used a hundred years ago. Still twelve yards is as good as a mile, we can't jump it, and we daren't try to wade or swim." "Can any of you throw a rope?" chirped Bilbo. "What's the good of that? The boat is sure to be tied up, even if we could hook it." replied Fili, for he was sure to be best with a rope. "We can but try." said Bilbo. The others brought Fili a rope and on the end fastened one of the iron hooks they had used for catching their packs to the straps about their shoulders. Fili took this in his hand, balanced it for a moment, and then flung it across the stream.

Splash it fell in the water! "Not far enough, a few more feet and you would have dropped it on to the boat." Orelindeth alleged. Fili picked up the hook when he had drawn it back, and this time he threw it with great strength. "It has gone into the wood on the other side, draw it back gently." Fili hauled the rope back slowly, and after a while Orelindeth said "Carefully, it is lying on the boat. Let us hope the hook will catch." It did, the rope went taut, and Fili pulled in vain. Kili came to his help, and then Oin and Gloin, they tugged and tugged, and suddenly they all fell over on their backs. Bilbo was on the lookout however, he caught the rope as Orelindeth went to help the dwarves to their feet. "It was tied after all," said Balin, "That was a good pull my lads and a good job that our rope was the stronger." They crossed a few at a time in the little boat, hauling the boat along a rope strung out between the trees by Fili. As they had all crossed, there was a flying sound of hooves on the path ahead. Out of the gloom came suddenly the shape of a flying deer, it charged into them and bowled them over. Thorin swiftly shot down the beast as it leapt to the other bank, he had bent his bow and fitted an arrow in case any guardian of the boat appeared. Before they could shout in praise of the shot, a dreadful wail from Bilbo put all thought of food out of their minds. "Bombur has fallen in! Bombur is drowning!" he cried. Quickly they flung a rope with a hook towards him, his hand caught it and they pulled him to shore. When they laid him on the bank he was already fast asleep. They were a gloomy party that night, and the gloom gathered still deeper on them in the following days. They were burdened with the heavy body of Bombur, which they had to carry along with them as best they could. In a few days a time came when there was practically nothing left to eat or drink, and nothing wholesome could they see growing in the wood.

It was around five days later in the evening that Bombur woke up suddenly and sat up scratching his head. He could not make out where he was nor why he felt so hungry, for he had forgotten everything that had happened since the party at the hobbit's house. When he heard that there was nothing to eat, he sat down and wept. "Why ever did I wake up!" he cried. At that moment Balin, who was a little way ahead, saw a twinkle of light in the forest. They all looked and a longish way off, it seemed, they saw a red twinkle in the dark, then another and another sprang out beside it. Even Bombur got up, and they hurried along then, not caring if it was trolls or goblins.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Mirkwood

At last they drew level with the light, but it was to the left of the path, and a good way off their track. "It looks as if my dreams were coming true," gasped Bombur, he wanted to rush straight off into the wood after the lights, but the others remembered only too well the warnings of the wizard and of Beorn. "A feast would be no good, if we never got back alive from it," said Thorin. "But without a feast we shan't remain alive much longer anyway," said Bombur. They argued about it backwards and forwards for a long while, until they agreed at length to send out a couple of spies to find out more, but none wished to run the chance of being lost in the forest and never finding their friends again. In the end, in spite of warnings, hunger decided them, so they all left the path and plunged into the forest together. They came to the edge of a clearing and peering round the trunks saw many people, elf-folk, sitting around a large fire in a great circle, eating and drinking and laughing merrily. The smell of the roast meats was so enchanting that, without waiting to consult one another, the majority of them scrambled forward from behind the trees with the idea of begging for some food. No sooner had the first stepped into the clearing than all the lights went out as if by magic. They were lost in a completely lightless dark and they could not find one another for a good time.

Eventually through shouting and calling and blundering around, they managed to gather themselves. "We are not welcome here, this is not Rivendell where the gates are open to friends at all times. And there are persons here I should not wish to meet." said Orelindeth, "We have stumbled into the realm of the Elves of Mirkwood, we should leave, now." "What would you have us do, we have lost the direction of the path, if even we could find it in this dark, we would soon starve regardless." replied Thorin sharply. There was nothing for it but to settle down for the night where they were. But they had not been lying long, when Dori, whose turn it was to watch, said in a loud whisper "The lights are coming out again, over there, and there are more than ever of them." They crept slowly towards them, in a single line, each touching the back of the one in front. When they got near, they sent Bilbo ahead, in the hope that he alone would not send the elves fleeing. But as before, as soon as the hobbit set foot in the circle, the lights went out and they were left in darkness. They settled down again, but later Kili roused them all for the lights had appeared again not far off. This time it was Thorin who stepped out into the lights and again all went black. They stumbled about, shouting and calling for one another, and what with their shouting and the dark they never sensed the spiders coming.

It was gone morning when a few of the dwarves awoke, to find themselves bound tightly all over, cocooned by the spiders, but they were too weak to struggle much, half starved and ill from the poison the spiders had used to sedate them. The others slept on for some had been poisoned more, Orelindeth most of all, for the spiders had thought that the larger prey required more poison. The spiders had had encounters with the elves before and been given cause to fear them. The dwarves who were awake heard a voice singing, teasing the spiders, it was unmistakably their hobbit, it was Bilbo! However the voice moved farther and farther away and they almost lost hope of rescue. Yet it was not too long before the hobbit returned to free them, for he had led the spiders away and hurried back quietly. There were still five hanging from the tree when the spiders returned, having giving up the search for Bilbo. Bilbo held off the spiders whilst the others freed the rest and came down from the tree. There they were at last, fourteen of them, most of them were very shaky and little use on their legs, and Orelindeth would not awaken. Bilbo was dancing about and waving his sword, his Sting, and hundreds of large, angry spiders were goggling at them all round and about and above. It looked pretty hopeless. Here Bilbo let the dwarves in on the secret of the ring he had found in the goblin tunnels. "I am going to disappear," he said. "I shall draw the spiders off if I can and you must keep together and make in the opposite direction." Bilbo slipped on his ring, and to the great astonishment of the dwarves he vanished. Soon they heard fragments of the song Bilbo had sung before to get the spiders' attention, away on the right, that upset the spiders greatly and many went off in Bilbo's direction. Then Balin, who had grasped Bilbo's plan better than the rest, led an attack, sending a shower of stones they drove at the spiders on the left, and burst through the ring. Some supported those that could barely walk, others kept the spiders behind them at bay and Fili carried Orelindeth, for though taller, she was far lighter than the dwarves. Suddenly Bilbo reappeared and charged into the astonished spiders, the spiders swelled with rage, but they had become mortally afraid of Sting and dared not come very near. And so it was their prey moved slowly but steadily away, and the spiders went back disappointed.

The dwarves then noticed that they had come to the edge of a ring where elf-fires had been. Whether it was one of those they had seen the night before, they could not tell. There they lay for some time. The dwarves asked Bilbo to recount his adventure, with the ring in its proper place, while Fili tended to Orelindeth, but still she would not awake. They slowly fell asleep, and there was complete silence for a long while. All of a sudden Dwalin opened an eye, and looked round at them. "Where is Thorin?" he asked. It was a terrible shock. Of course there were only thirteen of them, eleven dwarves, Orelindeth and Bilbo. Where indeed was Thorin? Unknown to the rest of the company, as Thorin had stepped into the circle and the darkness came over them again the night before, the Wood-elves had bound him and carried him away.

The next morning they set out in search of the path or Thorin, though knew not in which direction either lay, making a rough guess as to which direction they should go. Orelindeth had woken but was still suffering from the spiders' poison, so Fili carried her again so light was she, wrapped well in her cloak and a blanket and her hood pulled low. Night fell and still there was no sign of the path or where their leader had gone to. Suddenly all around the light of many torches sprang out in the darkness and the Wood-elves surrounded them, armed with bows and spears. There was no thought of a fight, even if the dwarves had not been in such a state that they were actually glad to be captured, their small knives - the only weapons they had – would have been no use against the arrows of the elves that could hit a birds' eye in the dark. The dwarves were bound in a line by their feet and blindfolded. They left Orelindeth in Fili's arms though slipped a blindfold over her cloaked head, much to Fili's relief that his friend was not discovered to be other than another dwarf, fast asleep in his arms. The Elves led them quickly through the forest to the cavern palace of the Elvenking of Mirkwood. He questioned the dwarves, but none dared give up the details of their quest. They knew of the trouble once between dwarves and the King of Mirkwood, caused – as the dwarves state - for his great love of treasure, especially of silver and white gems. He ordered the dwarves each to be put in a separate cell until one of them was willing to tell him all he wanted to know, but he did not tell them that Thorin was also a prisoner with them.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – Trapped

It was to not much surprise but great delight that each dwarf found that the hobbit had not been captured, for he had used his magic ring when the elves had come upon them in the forest, and one by one Bilbo had managed to locate the cells of all the dwarves and Orelindeth. It was Thorin's cell that Bilbo last discovered, by overhearing some guards talking of a cell in a specially deep dark place. And so Bilbo was able to take a message from Thorin to each of the dwarves and Orelindeth, for Orelindeth had now recovered in the many weeks they had been imprisoned, yet she wished to still be able to sleep away the days in blissful unawareness, rather than alone without her companions in this 'dreadful cave' as she saw it. And so they all depended on Bilbo to find them a way of escape, for they would not give up their quest to the Elfking, all thinking of their own share in the treasure – which they quite regarded as theirs, in spite of their plight and the still unconquered dragon. Bilbo did not let them down, for after several weeks he came one night and unlocked all their cells with a great bunch of keys, which he had in fact stolen from the chief guard. "Upon my word!" said Thorin, as Bilbo let him free "Gandalf spoke true, as usual! A pretty fine burglar you make, it seems. I am sure we are all forever at your service, but what comes next?" Bilbo explained to them his plan, for their escape would be via a trapdoor that led to a river below it and that a load of empty barrels were due to be sent down the river to Lake-town and in those they should hide. "We shall be bruised and battered to pieces, and drowned too, for certain!" they muttered "This is a mad idea!" "Very well!" said Bilbo "Come along back to your nice cells, and I will lock you all in again, and you can sit there comfortably and think of a better plan." In the end of course they had to do just what Bilbo suggested, so following the hobbit, down into the lowest cellars they crept and found the barrels all lined up ready near the trapdoor. Soon all the dwarves and Orelindeth were packed into barrels with enough room, in fact some were too roomy. Elves came down and the barrels were pushed into the water below. Here Bilbo saw the failing in his plan, for he was not packed into a barrel, nor was there anyone left to seal him in, luckily he caught a hold of the last barrel as it was pushed down to the river and the trapdoor was closed. The barrels were jostled and banged against one another in their fight to get down the river; they had escaped the dungeons of the king and were through the wood, but whether alive or dead still remained to be seen.

Further down the river the barrels came to rest at a wide bay, they were poled and pushed together, then roped up and left till morning. It was a cold night, and in the grey morning the raft of barrels was pushed off and was poled down the river. At last, one by one, the barrels containing members of the company – you could tell as those were certainly heavier in the water - were cut free and dragged to shore and opened by Bilbo. They had come to Lake-town, built not on the shore but right out on the surface of the lake. Not a town of elves, but of Men, who still dared to dwell here under the shadow of the distant dragon-mountain. They still throve on the trade that came up from the South, but in the days of old they had been wealthy and powerful. Men remembered little of all that, though some still sang old songs of the dwarf-kings of the Mountain, some sang too that Thror and Thrain would come back one day and gold would flow in rivers. But this pleasant legend did not much affect their daily business. Out of the first barrel crept a most unhappy dwarf, wet straw was in his draggled beard, he was so sore and stiff, so bruised and buffeted he could hardly stand or stumble through the shallow water to lie groaning on the shore. It was Thorin, but you could only have told it by his golden chain and by the colour of his now dirty and tattered sky-blue hood. Eventually all were freed and most lay helpless on the shore. "Well here we are." Said Thorin. "And I suppose we ought to thank our stars and Mr. Baggins. Though I wish he could have arranged a more comfortable journey, no doubt we shall all feel properly grateful when we are all fed and recovered. In the meanwhile what next?" "I suggest Lake-town." said Bilbo. "What else is there?" Nothing else could of course be suggested, so leaving the others Thorin and Fili and Kili and the hobbit and Orelindeth - those that could walk easily - went along the shore to a great bridge to the town. Orelindeth was most grateful of the excuse to stretch her aching legs, though she had not had so hard a time as some, having hit her head and been knocked unconscious for the majority of the journey. Fili now had a deep hatred of apples, for his barrel had smelt wonderfully of them when he could scarcely move and was cold and sick with hunger. But none could look at a barrel in quite the same way from thereafter. There were guards at the head of the bridge, but they were not keeping very careful watch, for it was long since there was need of it. The astonishment of the guards was enormous when Thorin Oakenshield stepped in through the door. "Who are you and what do you want?" they shouted leaping to their feet and groping for weapons. "Thorin son of Thrain son of Thror King under the Mountain!" said the dwarf in a loud voice, and he looked it, in spite of his torn clothes and draggled hood. The gold gleamed on his neck and waist; his eyes were dark and deep. "I have come back. I wish to see the Master of your town!"

The captain of the guard led them to the master of the town, he was at feast and there were many gathered there with him. "I am Thorin son of Thrain son of Thror King under the mountain! I return!" cried Thorin in a loud voice from the door, before the captain could say anything. All leaped to their feet. The Master of the town sprang from his great chair. But none rose in greater surprise than the raft-men of the elves who were sitting at the lower end of the hall. "These are prisoners of our king that have escaped, wandering vagabond dwarves that could not give any good account of themselves, sneaking through the woods and molesting our people!" cried the elves. Then the elves could not help but notice Orelindeth, her hood no longer covering her face, she stood proud. They knew the news that she had been their prisoner and escaped their master would not be well for the messenger. Long it was the Elvenking of Mirkwood's opinion she should be kept locked up, hidden away, safe, not allowed to roam free, endangering them all. Perhaps they ought not to tell him at all, pretend that still she was yet another dwarf, rather than risk the wrath of their king. "Is this true?" asked the Master, he thought it far more likely than the return of the King under the Mountain. "It is true that we were wrongfully waylaid by the Elvenking and imprisoned without cause as we journeyed back to our own land," answered Thorin. "But lock nor bar may hinder the homecoming spoken of old. Nor is this town in the Wood-elves' realm. I speak to the Master of the Men of the Lake, not to the raft-men of the king." Then the Master hesitated and looked from one to the other. The Elvenking was very powerful and the Master wished for no enmity with him, nor did he think much of old songs. Others were of a different mind however, and the matter was settled without him. The news spread like wild fire, some began to sing snatches of old songs concerning the return of the King under the Mountain; that it was Thror's grandson not Thror himself that had come back did not bother them at all. Indeed such excitement had not been known in the town in the memory of the oldest grandfather. The Master gave up to Thorin his own great chair and set Fili and Kili beside him in places of honour. Orelindeth was seated beside Fili, for he would have it no other way, even Bilbo was given a seat at the high table. Soon afterwards the other dwarves were brought into the town, they were all doctored and fed and housed and pampered in the most delightful and satisfactory fashion. A large house was given up to Thorin and his company; boats and rowers were put at their service; and crowds sat outside and sang songs all day, or cheered if any dwarf showed so much as his nose.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – Lake-town

The next morning after they had come to Lake-town Orelindeth sat in the room appointed just to her, allowing for some rest and privacy from the dwarves. It was quite a wonderful thing to be clean again, with her long hair combed and clothed in a lovely dress of sky-blue embroidered with silver that had been provided for her. Orelindeth felt quite well after all they had dealt with so far. So grateful was she to her friend for keeping her disguise when the elves had captured them, if the Elfking had seen her for who she was, it would have been the end of her journey. He wanted only for her to be kept, safe and happy to end of days, but she had no desire to stay in Mirkwood, nor to marry the King's son as he had offered her on many occasions. That was why she fled so long ago, seeking solitude, to get away from all who proffered to know best, and deal with the curse in her own way. Whilst Orelindeth sat in thought, Fili came to her door, he reminded her again of the cheeky young dwarf that stood smiling even as she threatened him, fitted out in fine cloth – sky-blue his family's colour – beard and hair combed and braided. To Fili she was becoming more a dwarf in his eyes every day, dressed in his own colours she was beautiful to behold – it was in fact the first time he had seen her in a dress, for on the road she wore a tunic and trousers. His vision became yet more complete as she asked him to braid her long hair, and he obliged braiding her hair in a dwarvish style. Then they joined the rest of the company at breakfast, Orelindeth's new look did not go unnoticed. "Why Thorin, you seem to have gained a new family member!" piped up Gloin. "Indeed, have you not met my sister before?" laughed Kili, causing Fili to blush deeply. Had you asked any of the dwarves previously if an elf and a dwarf could be together, they would have laughed and told you to go home and sleep off the beer. Now however, she was simply counted as one of them, and it did not seem so strange or ridiculous. And so it came that Balin asked Thorin when they were alone one evening "What will you do now, for it seems you must have an elf for a niece." "I'll not have an elf in my family." replied Thorin sharply. "Yet a dwarf, perhaps too tall and unable to grow a beard I may yet accept." "She may as well be one of us, she already looks quite the part." said Balin. "Hmm." was all Thorin had to say.

In the meanwhile the Wood-elves had gone back up the forest river with their cargoes and there was great excitement in the king's palace. The king now knew the dwarves errand, though nothing had been said to him of Orelindeth and the hobbit still remained a bit of a mystery. "Very well! We'll see! No treasure will come back through Mirkwood without my having something to say in matter. But I expect they will all come to a bad end, and serve them right!" He at any rate did not believe in dwarves fighting and killing dragons like Smaug, and he strongly suspected attempted burglary or something like it – which shows he was a wise elf and wiser than the men of the town, though not quite right, as we shall see in the end. The company stayed in Lake-town for two weeks, all now healed of their hurts they were well contented and they quickly grew fat and strong again. Thorin looked and walked as if his kingdom was already regained and Smaug chopped up into little pieces. It was wondrous to spend time basking in the admiration of the people of Lake-town and to enjoy each other's company in more civilised surroundings. Yet at the end of the fortnight Thorin began to think of departure. While the enthusiasm still lasted in the town was the time to get help. So he spoke to the Master and his councillors and said that soon he and his company must go on towards the Mountain. Then for the first time the Master was surprised and a little frightened; and he wondered if Thorin was after all really a descendant of the old kings. He had never thought that the dwarves would actually dare to approach Smaug, but believed they were frauds who would sooner or later be discovered. He was wrong, Thorin, of course, was really the grandson of the King under the Mountain, and there is no knowing what a dwarf will not dare and do for revenge or the recovery of his own. But the Master was not sorry at all to let them go, they were expensive to keep and their arrival had turned things into a long holiday in which business was at a standstill. So one day, although autumn was now getting far on, and winds were cold, and leaves were falling fast, three large boats left Lake-town, laden with rowers, dwarves, Orelindeth, Mr. Baggins, and many provisions. Horses and ponies had been sent ahead by circuitous paths to meet them at their appointed landing-place. The white oars dipped and splashed, and off they went north up the lake on the last stage of their long journey. After three days they disembarked and were joined by the horses and ponies and other provisions. They packed what they could on the ponies and horse and the rest was made into a store under a tent, but none of the men of the town would stay with them even for the night so near the shadow of the Mountain. They spent a cold and lonely night and their spirits fell. The next day they set out again, they made north-west, slanting away from the River Running and drawing ever nearer and nearer to a great spur of the Mountain that was flung out southwards towards them. It was a weary journey, picking out a slow road, for there were no paths, and a quiet and stealthy one. There was no laughter or song or sound of harps, and the pride and hopes which had stirred in their hearts at the singing of old songs by the lake died away to a plodding gloom. They knew that they were drawing near to the end of their journey, and that it might be a very horrible end. The land about them grew bleak and barren, though once, as Thorin told them, it had been green and fair. They were come to the desolation of Smaug, and they were come at the waning of the year.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – The Mountain

They reached the skirts of the Mountain without meeting any danger or any sign of the Dragon other than the wilderness he had made about his lair. The Mountain lay dark and silent before them and ever higher above them. They made their first camp on the western side of the great southern spur. Before setting out to search the western spurs of the Mountain for the hidden door, on which all their hopes rested, Thorin sent out a scouting expedition to spy out the Front Gate. For this purpose he chose Balin and Fili and Kili and Orelindeth – for it was impossible to separate Fili and Kili or Fili and Orelindeth – and with them went Bilbo. They followed upstream the river which flowed from the Mountain, in a wide loop over the valley of Dale before flowing down to the Lake of Lake-town. As they passed the valley of Dale they could see the grey ruins of ancient houses, towers and walls. "There lies all that is left of Dale," said Balin. "The mountain's sides were green with woods and all the sheltered valley rich and pleasant in the days when the bells rang in that town." He looked both sad and grim as he said this: he had been one of Thorin's companions on the day the Dragon came. They did not dare to follow the river much further towards the gate, lying hidden behind a rock they looked out and saw the dark cavernous opening in a great cliff-wall between the arms of the Mountain. Out of it the waters of the Running River sprang; and out of it too there came a steam and a dark smoke.

The camp was moved to a narrow valley near the western slopes of the Mountain. On this western side there were fewer signs of the dragon's marauding feet, and there was some grass for their ponies and horse. From this camp, shadowed all day by cliff and wall until the sun began to sink towards the forest, day by day they toiled in parties searching for paths up the mountain-side. Day by day they came back to their camp without success. But at last unexpectedly they found what they were seeking. Fili and Kili and Orelindeth came upon what looked like rough steps going upwards that wandered on to the top of the southern ridge and brought them at last to a still narrower ledge. Looking down they saw that they were at the top of the cliff at the valley's head and were gazing down on to their own camp below. Clinging to the rocky wall on their right, they went along the ledge, till the wall opened and they turned into a little steep-walled bay. Its entrance which they had found could not been seen from below because of the overhang of the cliff, nor from further off because it was so small it looked like a dark crack and no more. No sign was there of post or lintel or threshold, nor any sign of bar or bolt or key-hole; yet they did not doubt they had found the door at last. There was excitement in the camp that night. In the morning they prepared to move once more, only Bofur and Bombur were left behind to guard the ponies and such stores as they had brought with them from the river. They made their third camp in the little bay, hauling up what they needed from below with ropes. Yet try though they may, the door would not give itself up, their spirits had risen a little at the discovery of the path, but now they sank into their boots; and yet they would not give it up and go away. "Today begins the last day of autumn." said Thorin one day. Which meant that indeed it was Durin's Day, the dwarvish new year. The Hobbit, who had spent more time pondering the words written on Thorin's map, had a dawning realisation, the door would be revealed on Durin's day. And so it was that evening that a hole appeared suddenly about three feet from the ground, in the smooth face of rock. Quickly, trembling lest the chance should fade, the dwarves rushed to the rock and pushed – in vain. "The key! The key!" cried Bilbo "Where is Thorin?" Thorin hurried forward, "The key!" shouted Bilbo. "The key that went with the map! Try it now while there is still time!" Then Thorin stepped up and drew the key in its chain from round his neck, he put it in to the hole. It fitted and it turned! Snap! The gleam went out, the sun sank, the moon was gone. Now they all pushed together, and slowly a part of the rock-wall gave way. Long straight cracks appeared and widened. A door five feet high and three broad was outlined, and slowly without a sounds swung inwards.

For a long time they stood in the dark before the door, until it was decided that Bilbo should be sent down the black tunnel, for this was the job he had been recruited for. It was an anxious wait for the dwarves and Orelindeth, but eventually the hobbit reappeared, carrying a gold cup! Such excitement this one piece of the treasure caused. Even within Orelindeth the desire for the treasure, which before was merely a passing fancy, grew and thoughts of the wealth and splendour of her Father's kingdom in Lindon long ago entered her mind. The dwarves were still passing the cup from hand to hand and talking delightedly of the recovery of their treasure, when suddenly a vast rumbling woke in the mountain underneath as if it was an old volcano that had made up its mind to start eruptions once again. The door behind them was pulled nearly to, and blocked from closing with a stone, but up the long tunnel came the dreadful echoes, from far down in the depths, of a bellowing and a trampling that made the ground beneath them tremble. Then they forgot their joy and their confident boasts of a moment before and cowered down in fright. Smaug was still to be reckoned with. It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him. Dragons may not have much real use for all their wealth, but they know it to an ounce as a rule, especially after long possession; and Smaug was no exception.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 – A Dragon's fury

The din was indeed Smaug, for he had woken after an uneasy dream. He stirred and stretched forth his neck to sniff, then he missed the cup! His rage passed description, coiling his length together, roaring like thunder underground, he sped from his deep lair through its great door, out into the huge passages of the mountain-palace and up towards the Front Gate. To hunt the whole mountain till he had caught the thief and had torn and trampled him was his one thought. The dwarves heard the awful rumour of his flight, and they rushed to the cover of the tunnel, "My cousins! Bombur and Bofur – we have forgotten them, they are down in the valley!" cried Bifur. "They will be slain, and all our ponies too, and all our stores lost, we can do nothing." moaned others. "Nonsense!" said Thorin, recovering his dignity. "We cannot leave them. Get inside Mr. Baggins and Balin, and you too Fili and Kili and Orelindeth – the dragon shan't have all of us. Now you others, where are the ropes? Be quick!" Those were perhaps the worst moments they had been through yet, the horrible sounds of Smaug's anger were echoing in the stony hollows far above; at any moment he might come blazing down or fly whirling round and find them there, near the perilous cliff's edge hauling madly on the ropes. Up came Bofur, and still all was safe. Up came Bombur, puffing and blowing while the ropes creaked, and still all was safe. Up came some tools and bundles of stores, and then danger was upon them. The dragon came. They barely had time to fly back to the tunnel, pulling and dragging in their bundles, when Smaug came hurtling from the North, licking the mountain-sides with flame. Then darkness fell as he passed again, the ponies screamed with terror, burst their ropes and galloped wildly off. The dragon swooped and turned to pursue them, and was gone. They crept further down the tunnel and there they lay and shivered though it was warm and stuffy, until dawn came pale through the crack of the door. When morning came the terror of the dwarves grew less, they realised that dangers of this kind were inevitable in dealing with such a guardian, and that it was no good giving up their quest yet. Nor could they get away just now, as Thorin pointed out, their ponies were lost or killed and they would have to wait some time before Smaug relaxed his watch sufficiently for them to dare the long way on foot. Luckily they had saved enough of their stores to last them still for some time.

In the meantime they sent Bilbo down the tunnel again, to check on the dragon. Whilst the hobbit was at his task some of them decided to catch up on the sleep they missed the night before, they made do as best they could in the tunnel, Orelindeth huddled to Fili and he wrapped an arm around her as they fell asleep. The afternoon was turning into evening when the hobbit returned, and the dwarves were eager for his story. Bilbo told them all he could remember, he confessed that he had a nasty feeling that the dragon guessed too much from his riddles added to the camps and the ponies. "I am sure he knows we came from Lake-town and had help from there; I have a horrible feeling that his next move may be in that direction." "Well, well! It cannot be helped, you found out one very useful thing at any rate, and got home alive. It may be a mercy and a blessing yet to know of the bare patch in the old Worm's diamond waistcoat." said Balin. They talked at length, but at last Bilbo interrupted them, "I am sure we are very unsafe here, I feel it in my bones that this place will be attacked again. Smaug knows now how I came down to his hall, and you can trust him to guess where the other end of the tunnel is. Smaug will be coming out at any minute now, and our only hope is to get well in the tunnel and shut the door." He seemed so much in earnest that they at last did as he said, though they delayed shutting the door – it seemed a desperate plan, for no one knew whether or how they could get it open again from the inside. After a while talk turned to the great hoard and to the things that Thorin and Balin remembered. They wondered if they were still lying there unharmed in the hall below: the spears that were made for the armies of the great King Bladorthin, shields made for warriors long dead, the great golden cup of Thror, coats of mail gilded and silvered and impenetrable, the necklace of Girion, Lord of dale, but the fairest of all was the great white gem, which the dwarves had found beneath the roots of the mountain, the Heart of the Mountain, the Arkenstone of Thrain. "The Arkenstone!" murmured Thorin in the dark, half dreaming with his chin upon his knees. "It was like a globe with a thousand facets; it shone like silver in the firelight, like water in the sun, like snow under the stars, like rain upon the moon!" Yet the hobbit was still uneasy "Shut the door!" he begged them, "I fear that dragon in my marrow. Shut the door before it is too late!" something in his voice gave the others an uncomfortable feeling. Slowly Thorin shook off his dreams, and getting up he kicked away the stone that wedged the door. Then they thrust upon it and it closed with a snap and a clang, no trace of a keyhole was there left on the inside. They were shut in the Mountain! And not a moment too soon, they had hardly gone any distance down the tunnel when a blow smote the side of the Mountain. The rocks boomed, the walls cracked and stones fell from the roof on their heads. They fled further down the tunnel glad to be alive, while behind them outside they heard the roar and rumble of Smaug's fury. This was the outburst of Smaug's wrath when he could find nobody and see nothing, even where he guessed the door might be. After he had let off his rage, he felt better and thought in his heart that he would not be troubled again from that direction. In the meanwhile he had further vengeance to take, he rose in fire and went away south towards the Running River.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 – Not at home

The company sat in darkness, and utter silence fell about them, they could not count the passing of time. If they dozed, they woke still to darkness and to silence going on unbroken. After days and days of waiting, as it seemed, they could bear it no longer. They would almost have welcomed sounds from below of the dragon's return, in the silence they feared some cunning devilry of his, but they could not sit there forever. However they found the upper end of the tunnel had been shattered and blocked with broken rock, neither key nor the magic it had once obeyed would ever open that door again. The only way out was through the Mountain and the Front Gate. In desperation they went down the tunnel, Bilbo stopped them at where he remembered the opening into the hall to be. The hobbit slipped on his ring and went ahead of them, but the darkness was so complete they were all invisible, ring or no ring. Yet there was no sign of the dragon, and soon Bilbo called for light. They left him to explore further, but did not light torches of their own still fearing this was some trick of Smaug's. They watched his light grow smaller as he wandered away into the vast hall, until it was gone altogether. Faintly they heard a voice crying "help!" "Now what on earth or under it has happened?" said Thorin. "Certainly not the dragon, or he would not go on squeaking." Gloin lit several more torches, and then they all crept out, one by one, and went along the wall as hurriedly as they could. It was not long before they met Bilbo coming back towards them, "Only a bat and a dropped torch, nothing worse!" he said in answer to their questions.

The mere fleeting glimpses of treasure which they had caught as they went along had rekindled all the fire of their dwarvish hearts; and when the heart of a dwarf, even the most respectable, is wakened by gold and jewels, he grows suddenly bold, and he may become fierce. The dwarves indeed no longer needed any urging, all were now eager to explore the hall while they had the chance, and willing to believe that for the present, Smaug was away from home. Each now gripped a lighted torch; and as they gazed, they forgot fear and even caution. It was then that Fili realised Orelindeth was not with them, yet he could see a torch back the way they came. He ran back and Kili after him, for fear she was trapped or hurt, yet they found her staring at a set of mithril mail, with a long sword, the scabbard set with opals and a matching silver belt and circlet, hung on the wall and they laughed to see the goldlust on her too. Orelindeth took down the items from the wall, and they fit her perfectly, for they were in fact made for her long ago, though she had never received them due to circumstance. She had stopped in shock and desire, recognising from description the armour and sword that were hers, a gift from her adopted mother to keep her safe. Fili and Kili were almost in a merry mood, and finding still hanging there many golden harps strung with silver they took them and struck them; and being magical they were still in tune. The dark hall was filled with a melody that had long been silent. But most of the dwarves were more practical: they gathered gems and stuffed their pockets, and let what they could not carry fall back through their fingers with a sigh. Thorin was not least among these; but always he searched for something which he could not find. Now the dwarves took down mail and weapons from the walls, and armed themselves. Royal indeed did Thorin look, clad in a coat of gold-plated rings, with a silver-hafted axe in a belt crusted with scarlet stones. They could have spent ages examining the treasures surrounding them, yet Bilbo interrupted them "Thorin! What next? We are armed, but what good has any armour ever been before against Smaug the Dreadful? We are not looking for gold yet, but for a way of escape; and we have tempted luck too long!" "You speak the truth!" answered Thorin, recovering his wits. "Let us go! I will guide you, not in a thousand years should I forget the ways of this palace." Then he hailed the others, and they gathered together. The dwarves admired the armour and weapons each other had found and fine they all looked, though none could deny Orelindeth looked most beautiful in her mithril mail, under her sky-blue surcoat. Fili had found her a necklace of opals and diamonds set in silver and queenly she looked. Holding their torches above their heads they passed through the gaping doors, not without many a backward glance of longing. Their glittering mail they covered with their old cloaks and their bright helms with their tattered hoods and one by one they walked behind Thorin, a line of little lights in the darkness.

On a stone-paved road running by the river they came at last to a tall arch. A misty sun sent its pale light between the arms of the Mountain, and beams of gold feel on the pavement at the threshold. Now before them the water fell noisily outward and foamed down towards the valley, they were come to the Front Gate, and were looking out upon Dale. After their long time in the stewing depths of the dragon-haunted caverns, they shivered in the sun. They decided to make for an old look-out post at the South-West corner of the Mountain, "How far is that?" asked the hobbit. "Five hours march, I should think." replied Balin, whose idea it was. "Dear me!" grumbled Bilbo. "More walking and more climbing without breakfast! I wonder how many breakfasts, and other meals, we have missed inside that nasty clockless, timeless hole?" "Come, come!" said Thorin laughing – his spirits had begun to rise again, and he rattled the precious stones in his pockets. "Don't call my palace a nasty hole! You wait till it has been cleaned and redecorated!" "That won't be till Smaug's dead," said Bilbo glumly. "In the meanwhile where is he? I hope he is not up on the Mountain looking down at us!" That idea disturbed them mightily, so they moved on quickly. At length they reached the hill path and in the late afternoon they came to the top of the ridge and the watch post. Some threw themselves down at once and slept, but the others sat near the outer door and talked. In all their talk they came perpetually back to one thing: where was Smaug?


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 – Downfall of Smaug

All night one of them had watched, but when morning came they had not heard or seen any sign of danger. But ever more thickly birds were gathering, "Something strange is happening," said Orelindeth.


End file.
